Thill-coupling.



F. DEAN. THILL COUPLING. APPLICATION nun mm 22, 190B.

Patented Mar. 2, 1909..

UNITED STATES PALEENT OFFICE.

FRANK DEAN, OF NEW CASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OI ONE-HALF TO H. O. DAVIS, OF

, NEW CASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

'lI-IILL-COUPLING.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK DEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Castle, in the county of Lawrence and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in thill couplings and the object in view is to produce a simple and efficient device of this character which will serve as an anti-rattler.

The invention comprises various details of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claim.

1 illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved thill coupling showing the parts connected together. Fi 2 is a sectional viewlongitudinally through the coupling, and Fi 3 is a detail view of the loop adapted to be lastened to the shaft or thill.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, B designates a coupling member adapted to be fastened to the running gear of a vehicle and is provided with a semi-circular outlined recess 1) in one end of which is positioned a buffer E behind an overhanging portion of the inclined wall of the recess. The head of said coupling member is preferably cylindrical outlined and flattened u on its upper edge and has a transverse s ot F leading into said recess and through which slot the coupling link A is adapted to be inserted. Said coupling link A has lugs H projecting therefrom in aline ment with each other and at inclinations to the length of the link, said lugs being adapted to turn within the recess of the coupling memher, one of the lugs normally resting against Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 22, 1908.

the end of said buffer. When the lugs are inserted in said coupling, it is necessary to raise the thill to an upright position to allow the lugs to be inserted in the slot Said lugs are preferably of a width equal to the recess in said coupling member and, after being inserted in place, when the thills are turned down toward a horizontal position, one of said lugs will contact with the under edge of said buffer and hold the parts securely against rattling. In order to prevent foreign matter entering the slot and recess, a closure, designated by letter N, has arms N which are pivotally mounted upon the pins 0 carried by said head. Said closure is provided with recessed portions N in order to fit over the coupling link, as shown clearly in the drawings. Said closure is mounted upon the coupling head in such a manner that it will be normally mounted in closed position with dowmvardly projecting portions fitting over the upper edges of the head. hen it is desired to remove the coupling link, the lugs are thrown to an upright position to be allowed to freely move in the slot.

Vrhat 1 claim to be new is A thill coupling comprising a coupling member designed to be attached to the running gear and having a head with a circular outlined recess-therein, one end of the recess having an overhanging wall, a buffer positioned in one end of the recess and behind said overhanging wall, the opposite end walls of the head of the coupling member being provided with registering slots, a link adapted for attachment to a thill and having lugs projecting in alinement with each other and adapted to turn within said recess, one of the lugs normally bearing against the end of said builer, portions of the link on either side of the lugs having bearings in the bottoms of said slots, and a guard plate pivotaliy mounted upon the coupling member and closing said slots, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK DEAN. Vitnesses:

(J. A. MCOR'EADY,

HARRY O. DAVIES. 

